The Pair that Won't Quit
by MarvelGirl09
Summary: Betsy urges Kitty to work things out with Mr. Lance. Accompanies Mini Shopping Adventure! Takes place after Mainstream


Kitty ran outside barefoot, the cool grass beneath her feet a welcoming relief. She ran to her favorite tree and nimbly climbed up. Looking around to see that no one was watching, she buried her head in her hands and cried. It was what she had been doing for days, ever since Lance had done the unthinkable at the school board meeting. He broke her heart that night, and it was far from being on the mend. Since then she had come here to cry her eyes out, alone. She didn't want any of the others to see her weakness. So far, she had not been discovered.

"Kitty?" Oops. Take that back. Kitty looked down to see Betsy standing at the base of the tree, face filled with concern. "You ok?"

"I'm fine," the younger girl called out. "I just needed some down time."

"Oh, ok," Betsy replied, climbing up the tree with catlike grace. "Mind if I join you?"

"Um, no, go ahead." Kitty hid her face long enough to wipe her eyes and nose.

"How are you holding up, Kit?" Betsy asked gently.

It was the question she hated. She could hold a face mask up for as long as it took- as long as no one asked her what was wrong.

"Oh!" She cried, the tears flowing again. Kitty sobbed uncontrollably, and leaned into Betsy's offered arms. "It's really over, Betsy!" she cried. "He hates me now!"

"Kitty!" Psylocke cried. "Don't say that!" she didn't need telepathy to know Kitty was referring to Lance. "He doesn't hate you."

"Yes he does!" Her sobs were painful to hear, filled with pain. Betsy fought back her own tears, knowing full well the feelings of betrayal Kitty was feeling. The older girl had not heard from Pietro since the day they fought the sentinel. She was not stupid, and knew that Pietro had betrayed them for his father.

"Dearest, how long have you been coming up here?" Betsy asked.

"Since we broke up."

"That was two weeks ago! And you're still like this. Come," she took Kitty's hand, and they climbed down the tree. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Kitty asked, bewildered.

"We are going to finish some old business," Betsy replied simply.

"WHAT?"

Lance slouched in his easy chair, picking at his guitar. The house was mercifully empty, with Todd and Fred gone out to lunch, Wanda for a walk and Mystique to get some things for the house. He tuned the instrument and strummed a few notes, unconsciously playing a song he used to sing to Kitty. He hummed the tune, and soon found himself singing.

"_Someday,_

_when I'm awfully low, _

_when the world is cold, _

_I will feel a glow_

_Just thinking of you_

_And the way you look tonight."_

He thought back to the first time he ever sang her that song. It was before the Sadie Hawkin's dance. He picked her up at the institute early so they could have a bite to eat and maybe have the chance to be alone.

"_You're lovely_

_With your smile so warm_

_And your cheeks so soft_

_There is nothing for me _

_But to love you_

_And the way you look tonight."_

She really did look lovely. Lance smiled to himself at the memory. Her eyes were sparkling, and her mouth was so smooth and inviting. Tears stung the back of his eyes as he remembered their first real kiss, sitting on the bench in the park. It was a reward for singing to her.

His reverie was interrupted by Todd and Fred bursting into the house, back from their lunch. "Yo, Lance!" Todd leaped into the living room. "What's with the string thingy?"

"A guitar, moron," Lance growled. He _really_ was not in the mood.

"Writing a song for Kitty?" Fred teased.

"Hey, he's trying to get her back, yo!" Todd said, jumping on the couch. The boys commenced their routine heckling, much to their leader's dismay. He threw the guitar aside and stood up angrily.

Outside, Kitty and Betsy were hidden behind some bushes.

"Betsy, if Mystique finds us, we are so toast!" Kitty whispered fiercely.

"Which is why she won't," Betsy whispered back calmly. "Now come on."

They moved silently to the living room window in time to hear Todd and Fred teasing Lance.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!" Todd laughed.

"Shut up!" Lance roared, stomping his foot and causing a tremor to go through the house. "Enough already! I've had it up to here about Kitty! I don't want to hear her name in this house again! So find some other loser to pick on!" Grabbing his guitar, Lance stormed upstairs and slammed his door.

Outside, Kitty was in tears. "See?" she whispered.

"I see that Todd and Fred are giving him a hard time about you, which means he is completely and madly in love with you."

"Oh, Betsy."

"It's true! Kit, I have a brother, you know. I know how men work. He's upstairs in his room right now, crying over _you._"

"Come on."

"Really! If you don't believe me, see for yourself. And if he's not, then I'll take you for a mani-pedi and we can both feel better about ourselves, deal?"

Kitty considered for a moment. She really could use some pampering.

"Ok. But how am I gonna get to him?"

"Kit, you're an X-man! Just sneak in! Here," Betsy snuck over to the chimney. "Pietro's room is right up there, and Lance is right next to him." She took Kitty's hand and levitated up, staying close to the chimney so that no one could see them from the windows. "Here's your Romeo's window. Now go get him!" She pushed Kitty in, forcing her to phase. Kitty landed on the other side with an _oomph!_

"Kitty?" Lance jumped up, wiping his eyes quickly. Kitty noticed his eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was thick. Betsy was right. He _had_ been crying.

"Uh," she said brilliantly, standing up.

"What are you doing here?" he said incredulously. In the back of his mind, he knew he should kick her out, but he was so happy to see her he could only stare, dumbfounded.

Kitty, for her part, was already close to tears. If he was crying over, he had to have been hurt. And if he was hurt, that meant he cared. She was not the only one who had shed tears.

"I- I don't know," Kitty said, suddenly feeling ridiculous. She looked down at the floor. "I don't know why I came. I was, like, up in the tree today, and Betsy saw me crying, and like she told me to come here to talk to you because I've been crying like every day since the meeting and-" she was interrupted by Lance's mouth on hers. She felt herself go dizzy at the sudden touch, and when he broke away, she was breathless.

"I don't know what to do with myself," he said desperately. What he said next came out in a rush. "I haven't eaten, I haven't slept, I haven't done anything but think about you and what I did. It's like I hate ya for doing this to me, and then I hate myself more doing this to _myself_. And then I'm back at square one, loving ya all over again."

Kitty stared at him, eyes wide. He looked down at his feet, defeated, broken. "You don't need this, Kitten. I hated Pietro for what he did to Betsy, betraying her like that, and then I turned around and did the same to you."

"Don't say that!" she cried, hugging him fiercely.

"It's true," he said into her hair. "Ya didn't tell me anything I didn't deserve to hear."

"Lance," now she was crying, sobbing into his shirt. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, Kitten, don't be sorry. _I'm _sorry. I did this. It was all my decision, and now I have to live with it. I was just so tired of being used, I thought I could finally take control. And then I just let myself be used again."

Kitty looked up at him, wiping her eyes. He looked so lost, so scared. Her heart swelled with compassion. "Come here," she led him to the bed, making him sit down. She pulled him into her arms, stroking his hair. "I love you."

"I love _you_, Kitty," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok, Lance," she replied softly. Kitty was very aware of how vulnerable he was making himself. He had never opened up like this, let alone cry, in front of her. Kitty didn't really know how to react to it, other than just hold him and let him talk.

"I missed ya so much, Kitten," Lance murmured, sitting up to look at her.

"I've missed you too. I, like, didn't expect to need you so much."

"Me neither," he smiled weakly at her, and she melted. She touched his cheek gently, and he pulled her close for a kiss.

"Lance?"

"Yeah."

"You're not a hood."

"Kitty…"

"And you _are_ good enough for me. I need you."

He kissed the top of her head. "I need you too, Pretty Kitty."

"So- we're back together?"

"Do you want to be?"

"I asked you first." She giggled. Lance smiled at her.

"I always want to be with you, Kitten."

She rested her head in the curve of his neck. "Me too."

"I think we should still keep it under wraps, though."

"Yeah, definitely." She looked up at him. "Lance?"

"Hm?"

"You know, like, the night of the meeting?"

"Yeah?"

"I was gonna tell you after, that," she blushed. "I was ready."

Lance's eyes widened as he got her meaning. "Oh."

Kitty's blush deepened. "Yeah." She looked at him, questioning.

"What."

"I was just thinking-"

"Kitten…"

"What? I was just thinking!" she said innocently.

"Well," Lance laid on the bed, inviting her to join him. She did, curling up next to him. "Guess I can't stop ya from thinking." He stroked her hair gently. She toyed with his shirt, tracing the hemline at the bottom. Lance felt her fingers brush the skin right above his jeans, and he shivered. Kitty felt it, and slipped her hand under his shirt.

"Kitten," he sighed, loving the feel of her hand on his skin. She raised her head and kissed him deeply, letting him explore her mouth. He let his hands roam her body, loving its shape and feel.

"Lance," she whispered. "Will you take me?"

He looked up at her, tucking her bangs behind her ear. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want you to."

He kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Lock the door," he said softly. "I'll pull down the shades."

"Mm-hmm," she rose and made sure the door was locked tight.

"Kitten," he pulled her into his arms and resumed kissing her, his mouth relishing the taste of her neck. "Is this your first time?"

"Yes." His eyes met hers.

"Really?"

"Duh!" She giggled.

"Just asking," He trailed his finger along her jaw line. "I want it to be special for you. I want you to enjoy it. I'll do my best."

Kitty blushed, eyes averted. "You- you don't have to try to be, like, extra gentle, or anything."

"Well, we'll see. It's my first time too, you know."

She sat up. "Liar!"

Lance held up his hands in defense. "I'm not! You're the only person I've ever told, so keep it down, will ya?"

"You mean, you've never-"

"No. What girl would want to?"

_What girl wouldn't want to? _Kitty thought to herself. "You have to be kidding."

"I never really had time to be, you know, normal. I didn't talk to girls to much- I had to keep tabs on the kids at the orphanage, and I never really met a girl I liked enough."

Kitty raised her eyebrows, but when she saw how ashamed he looked, she softened. "Come here," she pulled him to her and kissed him deeply, guiding his hands to resume their exploring. He laid her down on the bed, and gave himself to her.

In the bushes, Betsy sat, waiting. When Kitty didn't come out after twenty minutes, she smiled to herself, knowing all went well. Looking around to see that no one was watching, she snuck off the property, heading back to the Institute.

"Hey, Kitty?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you still go to Prom with me?"

She kissed him deeply. "Of course I will."

"How are you?"

Kitty looked at him lovingly. "Fantastic."

"Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. You were great," she caressed his cheek, remembering their recent lovemaking. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The End.


End file.
